Yiamas Music Group

HOW IT ALL BEGAN:

Yiamas MG first became known to the public as Jeannie and Nick, the husband and wife team that entertained audiences with the finest selection of Greek music. With a repertoire that ranged from Greek blues (Rembetika) - traditional (paradousiaka) and adult contemporary (endexna), the duo provided music for greek pubs, restaurants, corporate and private Greek themed functions. In time, the venues got larger (outdoor festivals, gala dinners and fundraiser) and drummer Dimo Torlahids came one board to hold the rhythmic fort.

During their time together, Jeannie Niokos concurrently worked on original compositions that were based on Greek folk rhythms and orchestrated for piano, bouzouki, flute and saxophone. By 2001 enough material had been compiled and plans to record ensude.

It was at the same time that Tom Hank’s Play Tone Production Company, came to Toronto for the filming of Nia Vardalos’ My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and the band was hired to records traditional Greek folk music for the movies wedding scene.

During the filming, it was discovered that original music was required for the Easter scene, which suddenly put Yiamas in the right place at the right time. Niokos submitted material from their demo CD Evolution and the tracks “Secrete Garden and Dear God” were chosen and licensed. Nick Kutsukos makes his acting debut and performs both these tracks live.

With the success of the movie and the launch of their CD the band began their musical adventure. See highlights below. Yiamas continues to perform as a duo, trio, and quartet and is currently finalizing music for their follow-up recording “I hear voices”.

HIGHLIGHTS TO DATE:

PERFORMANCED:
East Minster United Church - CD Relase Concert (Toronto, CA)
Performing for the Prime Minister - Canadian National Exhibition. (Toronto, CA)
Moni Zarariston, Athito Halkidiki, (Thessaloniki GR).

AWARDS:
Best Music in Dance Theatre Competition, (Crete, GR)
Best Instrumental Album - Greek Canadian Music Awards Music (Toronto, CN)
Nomitation - Best Instrumental Album - Indies (Toronto, ON)

RADIO HIGHLIGHTS:
CBC’s Top Canadian Bands World Music Chart, Great Canadian Music Dream.
TOP 10 World Album CFBX radio
TOP 40 CJMQ World music (Quebec)

Additionally, YMG has supported the following non-profit organizations:
Canadian Athletes - See You In Athens Fund.
Music Education - Closer to the Heart
Catherine Collective for building a Woman and Children's Clinic, Jalalabad, Afghanistan.

BAND BIO - JEANNIENIOKOS
Jeannie Niokos was born to Greek parents in the small town of Sigen, German and raised in Toronto, Canada. Her gift and love of music was discovered when her parents bought an up-wright piano (a massive undertaking for immigrant parents) for their three young daughters, with the hopes that one of them would take to it. Well the middle child, Jeannie, succumbed to it and for the next decade, her life was a combination of piano lessons, Royal Conservatory Examinations, school choirs, the tenor saxophone, band, and of course, sports.

By the end of high school, Niokos was able to boast that the school bands she had participated in had:
placed 3rd at the Canadian Stage Band Festival for two consecutive years
had played saxophone and sang performed on the album “Profile”;
had played at the CN Tower (Rogers Centre); Ontario place; Banff Spring Hotel;
and had shared the stage with the late great Moe Koffman.

In 1987, Niokos entered York Universitys’ music program and earned a specialized honours degree in piano performance with extra classes in jazz studies, conducting and Indian drumming. Highlights of these years include studying the Mrdangam under the direction of Dr. Trichy Sankaran; singing soprano in Beethovens’ 9th, and master classes with the late great Oscar Peterson.

In 1987 Niokos made her first investment in a home recording studio and the writing began. Her first efforts were in the pop/dance genre where she received Factors ‘New Talent Demo award’ for “Just a Fantasy” more releases followed with nominal success. By her late 20’s Niokos began reflecting about the musical choices she had made thus far, and discovered that something was missing. She was an accomplished pianist, vocalist, and very capable of performing in numerous styles of music, yet she hand never attempted anything Greek.

In 1995, she set out to study Greek Folklore and a new chapter was created that inevitably sent her on a life changing path of self discovery.
This new adventure took her to Greece, where she honed her skills performing in a club situated under the Acropolis.

Upon return, she met bouzouki master Nick Kutsukos while playing Rembetica (Greek blues) in a trendy Yorkville bar called Click.

“I enjoyed Nick’s classical approach to his instrument so much, I decided to marry him”

Niokos began writing music for piano and bouzouki based on traditional Greek folk rh